Door opening detector device



Dec. 16, 1952 E. B. LEWIS DOOR OPENING DETECTOR DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1949 INVEN TOR. Edward B. Lewis ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR OPENING DETECTOR DEVICE Edward B. Lewis, Denver, 0010. I

Application October 12, 1949, Serial No. 120,876

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to a door opening detector device. It has to do, broadly speaking, with a device which is capable of being associated with a stationary object and a movable object, such as a door jamb and a movable door, which is capable of automatically recording any movement in a given direction of the movable object relative to the stationary object. In a more particular use, the door opening detector device of the present invention provides automatic means for recording on a card, piece of paper, or a composite pad, any and all unauthorized opening movements of a door with which the device is associated.

The detector device has a wide range of useful--,

ness, however, and is not necessarily limited to use in connection with doors, since it may be used as well with the hinged or swinging lids of chests, boxes, or the like, or with slidable drawers or compartments in cabinets, safe depositories, and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved and efficient recording detector device which is of relatively simple construction,.inexpensive to manufacture, consisting of few parts, and one which is capable of being easily installed where desired.

Another and very important object of the present invention resides in the particular arrangement of the trigger and pressure-applying finger member of the device, whereby each successive movement of the movable object relative to the stationary object with which the device is associated, will be recorded individually by a separate mark located at a slightly different point from all preceding recordings or marks of the movements of said movable objects A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved recording detector device which may be installed upon a door jamb in association with the opening edge of a swinging door so as to be relatively inconspicuous to the casual observer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which may be formed from lightweight metal, such as aluminum or aluminum alloy, and which comprises means for receiving and removably supporting a composite recording pad or other member which is capable of receiving a mark and thereby recording a seriesof opening operations of the door or other movable object upon which it is installed, and which permits the ready removal of the pad or card containing the recordings and the insertion of a clean or unused recording pad or card.

object, a recorded imprint or mark will be made at a different point on the recording pad or removable recording card.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appearfrom the following description and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective View of an embodiment of the recording detector device of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal side elevational view of the detector device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through a door jamb and swinging door and showing one application of the device of the present invention to the door jamb; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the door jamb and door of Fig. 3, showing the invention applied thereto, with the parts thereof in a set or ready-to-operate condition.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is to be understood also that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawing, the recording detector device of the present invention is shown as comprising a tongue-like extension or projection l3 which, as shown, is in the form of an integral part of a base plate I 4. The base plate I4 is provided at its inner end or edge with flanges Ma and along its upper side edges with flanges l5, l5. The flanges l5 extend outwardly beyond the outer end or edge of base plate 14 and these flanges, together with the base plate [4 and the end flanges Ma, provide guide means for receiving and removably supporting a composite recording pad, a.,card, sheet, or the like.

In the present illustration, this composite recording pad or means comprises a removable card 16 and a removable superimposed strip or sheet of ordinary carbon paper H. The card and carbon paper are preferably inserted beneath the side flanges I5 and slid into place over the base portion [4 and into engagement with the end flanges [4a, which latter serve as stops for the recording pad or members 16 and IT. The card or sheet 16 and the carbon paper [1 are preferably of substantially the same dimensions as the base plate assembly or portion of the device comprising, in addition to the base plate I 4, the elongated flanges or extensions 15, but as shown are longer than the actual base plate M.

The tongue-like portion or extension [3 is preferably provided with a pair of generally parallel outwardly projecting ears or members [8, [8 which, as shown, extend substantially at a right an le to the extension I3 and the'base portion 1.4 These spaced ears or members l8 provide means for receiving and removably' supporting a pivotpin or stud 19, the latter being provided for the sole purpose of swingably and rockably supporting the pressure-applying arm or finger member of the device which is shown as a whole at 20. This floatingly-mounted arm or finger member 20, as shown, is formed from a single piece of preferably light gauge wire, being shaped so as to provide spaced looped or coiled portions 2! through which pivot pin l9 extends to support the arm. Member ZOfalso includes a closed loop-like portion or trigger 22 which represents the minor portion of the arm at one side of the pivot pin [9 and which is adapted, when the device is installed upon a stationary object, like a door jamb, for example, to project or extend into the path of movement of a movable. object, such as a door, for example, which is associated for operative relationship with said stationary object or jamb.

The, wire-formed arm, 20 extends in converging relationship at 22a beyond the coiled or ringlike portions 21 and. the pivot pin l9, one portion 22a thereof being longer than the other portion and being extended forwardly to provide a fingerlike portion or. member 23 terminating in a tip or pressure-applying end 24. The other portion 22a, beyond'the apex of the two converging portions Ha/is preferably twisted or wrapped around the flnger'or shank 23, as indicated at 2212, 'for the purpose of holding the parts together. The finger portion or shank 23 and its inturned end or tip 24, together with the converging portions 22a, form the major portion or' length of the 'swingable and rockable member.2'0. The twisted portion 22b, the finger or shank'23, and the tip portion 24 overlie the carbon I! and 'card or sheet'lfi which are removably supported in operative position upon the base plate I4 by its flanges I 4a and [5.

Since the preponderance of Weight and the major' portion of the length of the member 20 are disposed at the base plate side of pivot pin IS, the pressure-applying tip or marking device 24 will normally engage the back face of the carbon paper I! if the entire device is placed flatwise upon a supporting surface. The portions 23 and 24 may, or may not assume a similar position when the device is mounted, for example, upon an upright supporting surface, such as a door jamb or other stationary immovable object.

The coiled or looped portions 2! of member 20, as shown, have. a greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of the removable supporting pin or pivot l9. Thus, the pin not only allows the member 20 to swing relative to it and relative to th recording pad parts l6, H, but also permits the rocking or lateral shifting movement of member 20 relative to the supporting pin l9 and ears l8, when the trigger-like portion 22 thereof is engaged by a movable object. By virtue of this particular structure and arrangement of parts, it is to be understood that each successive engagement and pressure-applying application or contact of the tip or point 24 with the carbon sheet [1, is at a different point on the surface thereof than the preced in engagements of said tip with said carbon. Therefore, a distinct and different mark, or dot will be made on the recording card 16 with each movement of the arm or finger 20 and each consequent engagement of the tip or point 24 with the carbon ll. Moreover, each of these successive marks or dots will be made ina slightly removed or 'difierent' place than all of the p eceding marks or dots which were recordedasthe result of movements of arm or finger 20 by the movable object, such as a swinging door, or other closure toward the carbon and card, or other recording means.

It will be noted, see particularly Rigs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, that therecording detector device of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawin will be mounted upon a door jamb 10 in a manner so as to allow, the closed loop-like end 2 2 of the pressure-applying arm or finger member 3!! to overlie the opening adjacent edge of. a swing ns door. l2 Therefore, as. door I2 is moved or swung toward open position, as indicated in Fig. 3, it engages the looped portion 22, swings member 20 about its floating pivot or pin 19, and causestip or point 2 4 to contact carbon 11 and make a mark or dot on the card IS. The device is preferably mounted upon the jamb. ID in such a manner. as to permit the door l2 to move into its closed position without meeting interference by the looped end 22 of the. device. In other words, the door may swin 'into closed position without causing any damage to the detector device andwithout, of course, causing any recordin of the movement on the. pad orf'card It. If the door contacts portion 22 whenlclosing, the loose or. so-called floating mountinglof device 20 will let the door] pass'freely and'with out injury to said device. Whereas the device of this. invention has been shown'in use in connection with. a' door jamb IQ arranged. at the edge of a conventional: wall or partition n, and in conjunction t jui adQ- jacent or opening edge of a swinging door. 12, it is to be understoodthat, as stated elsewhere herein, the jamb mmay represent any stationary or immovable object and. the door many movable object.

The device may also be used in connection with sliding drawers of cabinets, chests, or the like; with sliding doors for closing passageways or other openings; with hingedlid members. or covers for chests, or the like; or. with safe depositories of various types, such as those having swinging closure members or doors, or those wherein a drawer-like compartment slidably mounted in a similarly formed recessiorspace. In short, the recording detector device Qf-the present invention may, as stated elsewhere herein, be employed in connection with. any cooperating movable object and. stationary object,

wherein it is desired to make an accurate recorded record of any movement or movements of the movable object with respect to the stationary object.

It is to be understood that whereas it seems desirable at this time to provide the base portion and its flanges, etc., of the recording detector device, from lightweight metal, such as aluminum, or aluminum alloy, or the like, other suitable materials may be employed such, for example, as plastic. Moreover, whereas the pressure-applying arm or finger member 20 oil the device has been shown, merely by way of illustration, as being formed from a single piece of wire, this device may take any other desired form and may also be made in several parts or pieces, as well as from any other suitable and desirable material.

I claim:

1. A recording detector device adapted for association with a swinging door and an adjacent immovable door jamb for recording the opening movements of the door, said device comprising a base plate mounted upon said door jamb adjacent the door and having a tongue-like extension at one end thereof, flange-like guide members at opposite side edges of the base plate extending beyond the other end of the plate and providing means for receiving and guiding a removable recording pad into position to engage said plate, a pair of opposed ears extending outwardly from the tongue-like extension at the outer end of the plate and providing spaced means for supporting a pivot pin, a pivot pin removably mounted in said opposed ears, and a relatively light-weight elongated finger-like marking implement loosely and movably supported by the pivot pin having a length greater than the combined length of the base plate and tongue-like extension and having at one end a recording pad-engaging tip disposed beyond the said other end of the plate, with the other end of the marking implement being disposed in the path of opening movement of the swinging door, whereby when said other end is engaged by said door during its opening movement the marking implement will be rocked about its supporting pivot pin to bring the tip thereof into engagement with a recording pad carried by said base plate at a point beyond the-end of said plate to make an indicating mark thereon.

2. A recording detector device for association with a swinging room-size door and door jamb, said device comprising a relatively flat base member having flanges along its side edges and having stop members at one end thereof, an extension projecting from one end of said base member, pivot pin-supporting means carried by said extension, a pivot pin mounted in said supporting means, and a movable wire-formed recording pad-marking implement loosely mounted on said pivot pin for rocking movement relative to the pin and having at one end a trigger-like portion extending beyond the base member extension and adapted to project into the path of movement of the swinging door and at its opposite end an angularly bent portion terminating in a recording pad-engaging tip for .making marks on a recording pad upon rocking of the wire-formed member by the swinging movement of said room-size door, said flange members and stop members providing means for receiving and guiding a recording pad into proper position upon the plate member and for removably maintaining said pad in such position.

3. The combination with a door jamb and a swinging room-size door of a recording detector device comprising a relatively fiat base plate adapted to be mounted upon the door jamb, guide flanges disposed at the side edges of the base plate and overlying a portion of said plate, said flanges providing means for receiving and guiding a recording pad into position to be supported upon said base plate, a pair of angularly disposed pin-supporting ears extending outwardly from the base plate at one end thereof, a pivot pin carried by said ears, and a pressure-applying finger member swingably mounted upon the pivot pin and between said ears, said finger member having at one end an angularly bent portion terminating in a tip adapted to be moved into engagement with the recording pad when the swinging door is moved toward open position relative to the door jamb to make an indicating mark on said recording pad, said finger member having at its opposite end a trigger-like portion normally projecting into the path of movement of said swinging door to be engaged by said door when it moves toward open position.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the pressure-applying finger member is formed from light-weight and fine gauge wire and wherein it is connected intermediate its ends with the pivot pin by a floating connection, whereby the tip of the finger member will contact a different portion of the recording pad upon each successive opening of the swinging door.

5. The combination according to claim 3, wherein a recording pad is supported by the base plate and flanges, and wherein said recording pad comprises a removable card and a superimposed piece of carbon paper.

EDWARD B. LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 504,741 Patterson Sept. 12, 1893 713,325 Mills Nov. 11, 1902 922,633 Schonucker May 25, 1909 1,162,837 Williams Dec. 7, 1915 1,247,737 Stout et al. Nov. 27, 1917 1,437,001 Marshall Nov. 29, 1922 1,657,691 Marshall Jan. 31, 1928 

